The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has questioned The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways over the delay in issuing the new guidelines for the soon to be implemented Vehicle Scrapping Policy.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel also said that the country is in a dire need of a proper mechanism to set up authorised recycling centres that are compliant with environmental norms was an urgent need, in view of a large number of ‘End of Life Vehicles’ (ELV).
- The bench also made note that although the previously drafted guidelines for setting up, authorisation and operation of Vehicles Scrapping Centres have been uploaded on the MoRTH website for public feedback but no official notification or statement has been issued to comply to the suggestions.
- The tribunal also found MoRTH’s response “very unsatisfactory and insensitive.” It further said that there is no tangible explanation for the long delay in issuing the necessary notification, making allowance for the pandemic, the bench “granted further time of two months for issuing a requisite notification.”
- NGT has also warned MoRTH that if no official notification is issued by January 6th 2021, the Joint Secretary, MoRTH will have to appear and explain the reason for the unnecessary delay.
- It further said that the stand of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee shows that clandestine activities are still being found for which vigilance may be strengthened.
Must Read: Vehicle Scrapping Policy In India | Explained
- The national green tribunal has also estimated that the total number of ELVs (End of life vehicles) will increase by over 21 million (2.1 Crores) by 2025.
- The tribunal had earlier directed the government to set up a formulated standard operating procedure (SOP) for the authorization of designated recycling centres to scrap cars scientifically which said; “the scrapping of vehicles in a scientific manner needs to be taken up on organised basis as the current capacity is hardly adequate”.
Must Read: Vehicle Scrapping Policy Out For Public Feedback
